ok so i have had bunny for about 2 months,when i got her she was used as a breeder at the state fair and was never hand tamed.we are making progress,she now comes out of her nest to come to my hand to eat,but im not sure what the next step is for getting her used to me.i work 12-8am 3 days aweek,besides that i can be with her,is that enough one on one time for her being alone in the house? i sit with her for a few hours a day but she just stares at me and i let her free fly in the extra room but it make me sad to try to catch her as she is not keen on my getting close if shes not in her cage.Any advice? she is 3 years old and is a lone pigeon and was treated pretty rough by the last owner,she would just grab bunnyreal fast and mean outta the cage with no remorse for the poor pij.My goal is to be able to have her on my shoulder or head most of the day.any input would be great:)
Also she laid her eggs on the 2nd,shes now on dummy eggs ,i understand she will leave the eggs when shes ready but im woundering will shell go back to how she was?,when i feed her she started a few days ago biting my skin on porpose instead of the food? is this aggrestion? its never happend before, before the eggs she was cooing alllllll day and even at night,was that something that they do before laying eggs or all the time? I miss how out going she was before the eggs,she barly moves and it makes it hard to get her used to me.
Sorry for all the quistions,everyone on this site is so helpful,iv gotton input on other forums also.

I don't know anything about hand taming a pigeon as a pet, but I wondered if you were giving her grit when you mentioned she was biting at your skin,

Hugh

well at that time she had grit availible in her cage at all times but in my hand i had seed not grit.she goes away from the food in my hand and finds random skin on my hand to pick at really hard,iv also felt her sling seed on my hand and it was not that,she was really biting....not that i mind i just wanna make sure im not making her do this.she didnt start to bite until i had had her for a month and had been handled several times and hand fed......i dont know why she is doing that.

Hi Kailey,

I think what Bunny doing is perfectly normal and natural for her now that she's laid eggs. A mother pigeon is pretty defensive of her nest and eggs and this is just unfortunately how she will be for awhile.

What is important to remember is to spend as much time around her as possible, even if it's just sitting besides her and talking softly. Try to get her to eat out of your hand if possible using raw and hulled sunflower seeds, safflower seeds or something she really likes. If you can gain her trust to eat out of your hand, this will go a long ways towards taming her. Please remember though, patience, patience and MORE PATIENCE. It really can take awhile for them to trust us and it requires that you spend a lot of time with them... just being calm and quiet around them. Familiarity usually will win out in the long term.

Thank you so much Brad! im just hoping soon shell come off the nest as its vary hard to make progress when she nesting,and its understandable she wants to protect her wooden eggs:) shes been on them for 24 days. i try to best to be with her at least a few hours a day but that can be hard becuse i sleep during the day 3 times a week from working 3rd shift,im willing to wait until shes comfortable with me and i have the time to be patient.I am going to try to find raw hulled sunflower,i havent found it at the grocery store.Shes been sneezing and im scared becuese i can only find one avian vet within a resonable distance of my home and they charge way way to much for me to pay and still eat dinner,iv called 23 vets in a few days and still nothing.Any pros in MI that know a vet? also Were would i post bunnys pic on here to get a breed guess?

Hi Kailey,

It's normal for pigeons to sneeze on occasion, just like humans do. If it becomes a regular thing and frequent, then you might get a little more concerned. If there is nasal discharge accompanied with the sneezing, then it may be a respiratory problem. Sometimes also, they get a tiny little feather lodged in one of their nostrils that bugs them so check to make sure there are none up there too. Just keep an eye on her sneezing and behaviours. Watch for discharge from the nostrils or laboured breathing.

I just noticed that my link to avian vets has changed and there is no longer a listing! Hmmmph. I'll have to see what I can find for you. Otherwise, have you asked any of the vets you've called to give you a reference to an avian vet? You should have someone to go to if needed.

For the raw, hulled sunflower seeds...check at any bulk food stores you might have there.

I'm not sure what kind of pigeon Bunny is, she looks like a tumbler of some kind but I really don't know. You could try posting her pics in the Fancy and Show pigeon forum to see if someone might know. Just make the title of your post say something like, "Need to know the breed of this pigeon" or something like that.

ok thank you brad!!!!!!!!!! your so helpful.i feel better about the sneezing now that you say this.i did remove one small feather in her nostril a few weeks ago but dont see any now.I have asked a few of the vets i called for references but there were none in my area except that one that cost an arm and a leg and iv been online looking for a avian vet all night ,ill be able to afford the pricy place in a month or so.I dont What she is either,the last owner that got her from the place she was being used for breeding said she was some sort of owl but i dont know.thank you so much one again and ill go post some photos to get some input:) have a wonderful day !

No problem Kailey, glad to help ease your worries.